CHEAP RAILWAYS.

Southland Times, Issue 1045, 26 October 1868, Page 3

CHEAP RAILWAYS.

;■ "Mx Fairlie, the well known Enginear recently addressed the following letter to the Secretary of Victoria Eailway League ; — " 9 Victoria Chambers, "Westminster, 17th July, 1868. F. H. Nixon Esq., Victoria,— Dear Sir— By the last mail some newspapers, containing descriptions of my locomotive system, were sent to you for the purpose of perusal and bringing "before your colleagues of the League Association. I trust the same have safely reached you, an that my object in ; desiring to introduce a cheap, yet effective, system of railways throughout our colonies maybe at all events partly carried out. To go on with the old expensive system in countries sparsely populated, and with limited means, is like beginning business as a bankrupt. I have fought the same question at home here against our big — excuse the term — engineers, . , who have positively nearly ruined the whole railway system of the TJnited Kingdom by their wasteful extravagance; but especially have I advocated a cheap system, for branch and subsidiary lines, and wh*t I term agricultural lines, where speeds of fifteen to twenty miles an hour are ample for all purposes. Such lines, including rolling stock complete, ought not to exceed £3650 per joule over, any country. Gradients of one in twelve, or eight per cent and curves of two chains' radius, can easily be worked by my system ; and, having seen nearly every country, I am prepared to say, there is none existing where a surface line cannot -be run, and that with no heavier gradients or sharper curves than those named. Unfortunately, our young engineers, brought up in the offices of their bigger brethren, cannot, when they go from home, divert themselves from the groove they have been working in. Consequently, the same blunders, the same grievous mistakes that have been made at home are perpetuated abroad, and the lines do not pay, nor do they give satisfaction. Hence do we find English engineers, instead of leading the world, are becoming a drug •—^foreigners shun them as a pestilence — and, on my honor, I don't wonder at it : we are a stupid; self-conceited people. put if we are to succeed, we must throw |his all away and go back to common ■ense. I Bhall be glad to give you any information in my power, or to reply to any queries you may choose to make. thanking you for the interest yoju have taken in my matters,— l remain, <Lear shy yours truly, Bobert P. Fairlie."

' 'I 'pressed her gentle form to me, and whispered ! ; tf lier.ear, if, when I : was far a^ay, she'd drop or me a tear. I paused for some- cheering words, "t&y tioobbiag-hearfc to 000 l j and with her rosy Bpe *he»*ld,"O Ike! you're tich* fool." i